Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Effects of various concentrations ofBacillus thuringiensis-corn leaf material on food utilization byChilo partellus larvae of different ages

  • Entomology
  • Published:
Phytoparasitica Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

When herbivores feed on insect-resistant transgenic plants, food consumption and utilization are probably affected. Quantifying these parameters is of importance, because they may be associated with the performance of parasitoids, which are important antagonists of herbivorous pests. In this study, relative consumption rate (RCR), relative growth rate (RGR), approximate digestibility (AD), efficiency of conversion of digested food into body matter (ECD) and efficiency of conversion of ingested food into body matter (ECI) ofChilo partellus Swinhoe larvae (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) exposed to different concentrations of transgenic insect-resistantBacillus thuringiensis-corn (Bt-corn) tissue suspension, were investigated under laboratory conditions. For the control groups, different concentrations of control corn tissue suspension were used. In order to determine whether Bt effects were influenced by larval age, 4- and 17-day-old larvae were used. At all concentrations and for larvae of both ages, RGR, RCR, ECD and ECI values in the control were significantly higher than in the Bt group. Moreover, there was a gradual decrease in RCR, RGR and ECI values when Bt concentrations were increased. However, AD values at the lowest Bt concentration were significantly higher than in the control, whereas no significant differences between both groups could be detected at higher concentrations. In conclusion, the experiments showed that nutritional indices of herbivores exposed to transgenic insect-resistant plants could be quantified to determine the effects of these plants on target or non-target organisms. This could be one component in future evaluation of the effect of transgenic insect-resistant plants on the second and third trophic level.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Al-Deeb, M.A., Wilde, G.E. and Higgins, R.A. (2001) No effect ofBacillus thuringiensis corn andBacillus thuringiensis on the predatorOrius insidiosus (Hemiptera: Anthocoridae).Environ. Entomol. 30:625–629.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Armer, C.A., Berry, R.E. and Kogan, M. (2000) Longevity of phytophagous heteropteran predators feeding on transgenic Btt-potato plants.Entomol. Exp. Appl. 95:329–333.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Arpaia, S., De Marzo, L., Di Leo, G.M., Santoro, M.E., Mennella, G. and van Loon, J.J.A. (2000) Feeding behaviour and reproductive biology of Colorado potato beetle adults fed transgenic potatoes expressing theBacillus thuringiensis Cry3B endotoxin.Entomol. Exp. Appl. 95:31–37.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Ashouri, A., Michaud, D. and Cloutier, C. (2001) Unexpected effects of different potato resistance factors to the Colorado potato beetle (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) on the potato aphid (Homoptera: Aphididae).Environ. Entomol. 30:524–532.

    Google Scholar 

  5. Avé, D.A. (1995) Stimulation of feeding: Insect control agents.in: Chapman, R.F. and de Boer, G. [Eds.] Regulatory Mechanisms in Insect Feeding. Chapman & Hall, New York, NY. pp. 345–363.

    Google Scholar 

  6. Bauce, E., Bidon, Y. and Berthiaume, R. (2002) Effects of food nutritive quality andBacillus thuringiensis on feeding behaviour, food utilization and larval growth of spruce budwormChoristoneura fumiferana (Clem.) when exposed as fourth- and sixth-instar larvae.Agric. For. Entomol. 4:57–70.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Baur, M.E. and Boethel, D.J. (2003) Effect of Bt-cotton expressing Cry1A(c) on the survival and fecundity of two hymenopteran parasitoids (Braconidae, Encyrtidae) in the laboratory.Biol. Control 26:325–332.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Bernal, C.C., Aguda, R.M. and Cohen, M.B. (2002) Effect of rice lines transformed withBacillus thuringiensis toxin genes on the brown planthopper and its predatorCyrtorhinus lividipennis.Entomol. Exp. Appl. 102:21–28.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Boucias, D.G. and Pendland, J.C. (1998) Principles of Insect Pathology. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Boston, MA, USA.

    Google Scholar 

  10. Carlini, C.R. and Grossi-de-Sá, M.F. (2002) Plant toxic proteins with insecticidal properties. A review on their potentialities as bioinsecticides.Toxicon 40:1515–1539.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Deml, R., Meise, T. and Dettner, K. (1998) Effects ofBacillus thuringiensis δ-endotoxins on food utilization, growth, and survival of selected phytophagous insects.J. Appl. Entomol. 123:55–64.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Duan, J.J., Head, G., McKee, M.J., Nickson, T.E., Martin, J.W. and Sayegh, F.S. (2002) Evaluation of dietary effects of transgenic corn pollen expressing Cry3Bb1 protein on a non-target ladybird beetle,Coleomegilla maculata.Entomol. Exp. Appl. 104:271–280.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Dutton, A., Klein, H., Romeis, J. and Bigler, F. (2002) Uptake of Bt-toxin by herbivores feeding on transgenic maize and consequences for the predatorChrysoperla carnea.Ecol. Entomol. 27:441–447.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Farrar, R.R., Barbour, J.D. and Kennedy, G.G. (1989) Quantifying food consumption and growth in insects.Ann. Entomol. Soc. Am. 82:593–598.

    Google Scholar 

  15. Farrar, R.R. and Ridgeway, R.L. (1995) Feeding behaviour of gypsy moth (Lepidoptera: Lymantriidae) larvae on artificial diet containingBacillus thuringiensis.Environ. Entomol. 24:755–761.

    Google Scholar 

  16. Fearing, P.L., Brown, D., Vlachos, D., Meghji, M. and Privalle, L. (1997) Quantitative analysis of CryIA(b) expression in Bt maize plants, tissues, and silage and stability of expression over successive generations.Mol. Breed. 3:169–176.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Felke, M., Lorenz, N. and Langenbruch, G.-A. (2002) Laboratory studies on the effects of pollen from Bt-maize on larvae of some butterfly species.J. Appl. Entomol. 126:320–325.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Glare, T.R. and O’Callaghan, M. (2000)Bacillus thuringiensis: Biology, Ecology and Safety. John Wiley & Sons, Chichester, UK.

    Google Scholar 

  19. Gringorten, J.L. (2001) Ion balance in the lepidopteran midgut and insecticidal action ofBacillus thuringiensis.in: Ishaaya, I. [Ed.] Biochemical Sites of Insecticide Action and Resistance. Springer Verlag, Berlin, Germany. pp. 167–207.

    Google Scholar 

  20. Hansen Jesse, L.C. and Obrycki, J.J. (2000) Field deposition of Bt transgenic corn pollen: lethal effects on the monarch butterfly.Oecologia 125:241–248.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Heimpel, A.M. and Angus, T.A. (1959) The site of action of crystalliferous bacteria in Lepidopteral larvae.J. Invertebr. Pathol. 1:152–170.

    Google Scholar 

  22. Hellmich, R.L., Blair, S.D., Sears, M.K., Stanley-Horn, D.E., Daniels, M.J., Mattila, H.R.et al. (2001) Monarch larvae sensitivity toBacillus thuringiensis-purified proteins and pollen.Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 98:11925–11930.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Hintze, J. (2004) NCSS and PASS. Number Cruncher Statistical Systems. Kaysville, UT, USA.

    Google Scholar 

  24. Hochberg, Y. (1988) A sharper Bonferroni procedure for multiple tests of significance.Biometrika 75:800–802.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Howald, R., Zwahlen, C. and Nentwig, W. (2003) Evaluation of Bt oilseed rape on the non-target herbivoreAthalia rosae.Entomol. Exp. Appl. 106:87–93.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. James, C. (2004) Preview: Global status of commercialized biotech/GM crops: 2004.ISAAA Briefs 32:1–12.

    Google Scholar 

  27. Kfir, R., Overholt, W.A., Khan, Z.R. and Polaszek, A. (2002) Biology and management of economically important lepidopteran cereal stem borers in Africa.Annu. Rev. Entomol. 47:701–731.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Koziel, M.G., Beland, G.L., Bowman, C., Carozzi, N.B., Crenshaw, R., Crossland, L.et al. (1993) Field performance of elite transgenic maize plants expressing an insecticidal protein derived fromBacillus thuringiensis.Bio/Technol. 11:194–200.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Krieg, A. (1986)Bacillus thuringiensis, ein mikrobielles Insektizid. Grundlagen und Anwendung. Paul Parey Scientific Publishers, Berlin, Germany.

    Google Scholar 

  30. Losey, J.E., Rayor, L.S. and Carter, M.E. (1999) Transgenic pollen harms monarch larvae.Nature 399:214.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. Lundgren, J.G. and Wiedenmann, R.N. (2002) Coleopteran-specific Cry3Bb toxin from transgenic corn pollen does not affect the fitness of a nontarget species,Coleomegilla maculata DeGeer (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae).Environ. Entomol. 31:1213–1218.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  32. Lüthy, P. and Wolfersberger, M.G. (2000) Pathogenesis ofBacillus thuringiensis toxins.in: Charles, J.-F., Delécluse, A. and Nielsen-LeRoux, C [Eds.] Entomopathogenic Bacteria: From Laboratory to Field Application. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht, the Netherlands. pp. 167–180.

    Google Scholar 

  33. Malone, L.A. and Pham-Delègue, M.-H. (2001) Effects of transgene products on honey bees (Apis mellifera) and bumblebees (Bombus sp.).Apidologie 32:287–304.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  34. Nakamatsu, Y., Gyotoku, Y. and Tanaka, T. (2001) The endoparasitoidCotesia kariyai (CK) regulates the growth and metabolic efficiency ofPseudaletia separata larvae by venom and Ck polydnavirus.J. Insect Physiol. 47:573–584.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  35. Nault, B.A. (2001) Survival and fecundity of Bt-susceptible Colorado potato beetle adults after consumption of transgenic potato containingBacillus thuringiensis subsp.tenebrionis Cry3A toxin.Entomol. Exp. Appl. 101:265–272.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  36. Navon, A., Federici, B.A., Walsh, T.S. and Peiper, U.M. (1992) Mandibular adduction force ofHeliothis virescens (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) larvae fed the insecticidal crystals ofBacillus thuringiensis.J. Econ. Entomol. 85:2138–2143.

    Google Scholar 

  37. Navon, A., Hare, J.D. and Federici, B.A. (1993) Interactions amongHeliothis virescens larvae, cotton condensed tannin and the CryIA(c) δ-endotoxin ofBacillus thuringiensis.J. Chem. Ecol. 19:2485–2499.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  38. Odindo, M.O. and Onyango, F.O. (1998) Rearing maize and sorghum stem borers.in: Polaszek, A. [Ed.] African Cereal Stem Borers, Economic Importance, Taxonomy, Natural Enemies and Control. CAB International, New York, NY. pp. 59–72.

    Google Scholar 

  39. Pilcher, C.D., Obrycki, J.J., Rice, M.E. and Lewis, L.C. (1997) Preimaginal development, survival, and field abundance of insect predators on transgenicBacillus thuringiensis corn.Environ. Entomol. 26:446–454.

    Google Scholar 

  40. Ponsard, S., Gutierrez, A.P. and Mills, N.J. (2002) Effect of Bt-toxin (Cry 1Ac) in transgenic cotton on the adult longevity of four heteropteran predators.Environ. Entomol. 31:1197–1205.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  41. Praveen, P.M. and Dhandapani, N. (2001) Consumption, digestion and utilization of biopesticides treated tomato fruits byHelicoverpa armigera (Hübner).J. Biol. Control 15:59–62.

    Google Scholar 

  42. Prütz, G. and Dettner, K. (2004) Effect of Bt-corn leaf suspension on food consumption byChilo partellus and life history parameters of its parasitoidCotesia flavipes under laboratory conditions.Entomol. Exp. Appl. 111:179–187.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  43. Sachs, L. (1999) Angewandte Statistik. Springer Verlag, Berlin, Germany.

    Google Scholar 

  44. Schoonhoven, L.M., Jermy, T. and van Loon, J.J.A. (1998) Insect Plant Biology. From Physiology to Evolution. Chapman & Hall, London, UK.

    Google Scholar 

  45. Schopf, A. and Steinberger, P. (1996) The influence of the endoparasitic waspGlyptapanteles liparidis (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) on the growth, food consumption and food utilization of its host larva,Lymantria dispar (Lepidoptera: Lymantriidae).Eur. J. Entomol. 93:555–568.

    Google Scholar 

  46. Schuler, T.H., Denholm, I., Jouanin, L., Clark, S.J., Clark, A.J. and Poppy, G.M. (2001) Population-scale laboratory studies of the effect of transgenic plants on nontarget insects.Mol. Ecol. 10:1845–1853.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  47. Scriber, J.M. (2001) Bt or not Bt: Is that the question?Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 98:12328–12330.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  48. Shieh, J.-N., Berry, R.E., Reed, G.L. and Rossignol, P.A. (1994) Feeding activity of green peach aphid (Homoptera: Aphididae) on transgenic potato expressing aBacillus thuringiensis ssp.tenebrionis α-endotoxin gene.J. Econ. Entomol. 87:618–622.

    Google Scholar 

  49. Slansky, F. and Scriber, J.M. (1985) Food consumption and utilization.in: Kerkut, G.A. and Gilbert, L.I. [Eds.] Comprehensive Insect Physiology, Biochemistry and Pharmacology. Vol. 4: Regulation: Digestion, Nutrition, Excretion. Pergamon Press, Oxford, UK. pp. 87–163.

    Google Scholar 

  50. StatSoft Inc (1999) STATISTICA for Windows, version 5.5. Tulsa, OK, USA.

    Google Scholar 

  51. van Loon, J.J.A. (1991) Measuring food utilization in plant-feeding insects — toward a metabolic and dynamic approach.in: Bernays, E. [Ed.] Insect — Plant Interactions III. CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL, USA. pp. 79–124.

    Google Scholar 

  52. van Rensburg, J.B.J. (1999) Evaluation of Bt-transgenic maize for resistance to the stem borersBusseola fusca (Fuller) andChilo partellus (Swinhoe) in South Africa.S. Afr. J. Plant Soil 16:38–43.

    Google Scholar 

  53. Waldbauer, G.P. (1968) The consumption and utilization of food by insects.in: Beament, J.W.L., Treherne, J.E. and Wigglesworth V.B. [Eds.] Advances in Insect Physiology 5. Academic Press, London, UK. pp. 229–288.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  54. Wraight, C.L., Zangerl, A.R., Carroll, M.J. and Berenbaum, M.R. (2000) Absence of toxicity ofBacillus thuringiensis pollen to black swallowtails under field conditions.Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 97:7700–7703.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  55. Yong-Biao, L., Tabashnik, B.E., Dennehy, T.J., Patin, A.L., Sims, M.A., Meyer, S.K.et al. (2001) Effects of Bt cotton and Cry1Ac toxin on survival and development of pink bollworm (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae).J. Econ. Entomol. 94:1237–1242.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  56. Zhang, J.-H., Wang, C.-Z., Qin, J.-D. and Guo, S.-D. (2004) Feeding behaviour ofHelicoverpa armigera larvae on insect-resistant transgenic cotton and non-transgenic cotton.J. Appl. Entomol. 128:218–225.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Lehrstuhl für Tierökologie II, Universität Bayreuth, D-95440, Bayreuth, Germany

    G. Prütz & K. Dettner

Authors
  1. G. Prütz
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. K. Dettner
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to G. Prütz.

Additional information

http://www.phytoparasitica.org posting Aug. 28, 2005.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Prütz, G., Dettner, K. Effects of various concentrations ofBacillus thuringiensis-corn leaf material on food utilization byChilo partellus larvae of different ages. Phytoparasitica 33, 467–479 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02981396

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02981396

Key Words

Search

Navigation